Arn Magnusson Folkung
Name: Arn Magnusson Folkung Title: Shield Thane to the King Age: 58 Ethnic Origins: Nordic Appearance: His face is solid and his expression often unchanging, giving people the impression that he was carved directly from stone. He bears countless scars from a life spent in conflict. His once blond hair is mostly filled with grey now. The man is almost never seen outside of his chainmail, but his skin is tanned far more than most Nords. Equipment: His possessions are rather simple as shield thanes go. He bears the typical armor and weapons of a Nordic warrior, with one exception. His sword is of a different style than most of Nord make. Its blade is longer and thinner, but stronger due to folded steel. It is a gift from his time spent in Kizar. Even in his old age, he is one of the nest swordsmen in the North. Bio: Arn comes from a lesser clan with only modest land. Like most warriors of average status he tried to make his fortune on the raiding long ships. His first voyage was an attempt to raid the land of Kizar. The raid went bad. Everyone else was killed and Arn wandered at the brink of death through the desert. He was eventually found and saved by a group of nomads who made him their slave. As a slave-soldier in Kizar his odds for survival were low. But he was a survivor. It was not unheard of for skilled slaves to win their freedom and become equals of those they once served. This was Arn’s fate. In time they saw fit to teach him their sword fitting techniques and let him fight on horseback as a true warrior. It was here that his natural talent began to show itself. He befriended his fomer masters and became trusted. When at last he decided to leave for his homeland they gave him a masterwork sword. However, his return was not what he had hoped for. He had forgotten that the North is a harsh land as well, and his sweetheart was long since dead. His parents too were dead and his sister and her husband held all of their property. He wandered for a time, building his renown as a warrior. He was a master of the sword and soon became sought by jarls to be their thane. He rejected all offers. He fought because it was all he knew anymore. Purpose returned to his life when his freshly widowed sister came to the attention of a major clan. Without a man to protect her they expected to easily take her lands. Arn tried to protect her and the children, but even he would have been overwhelmed by their numbers. However they were enemies of Hrothgar’s father and he acted to protect the family. In return for his life and that of his family, Arn agreed to serve faithfully as thane. He was very involved in young Hrothgar’s martial training and his stories of distant lands fuelled the boy’s imagination. To this day he has served as bodyguard and advisor to the king. Personality: Years spent as a bodyguard have made him extremely serious and reserved in public. Naturally, he is suspicious of anything that could be a threat to his liege, even Hrothgar himself. Like most Nords he is distrustful of magic and is somewhat alarmed by Hrothgar’s passion for legend and ancient sorcery. He is of the opinion that fighting moves from Kizar, ones that value speed over strength, have more to do with Hrothgar’s victories than a supposedly magic sword. Trivia: Arn helped bring heavy cavalry into greater use among the Nords of Volgaland. Category:Nordic Empire Category:Volgaland Category:Northman